Some of you may be missing some of the more prominent truths here. Some of you tards responding by saying "if you don't like it, gtfo" or some other ignorant shit like that really don't provide any type of logical argument at all.
One of the fundamental truths here is freedom...although I do believe people should have the freedom to do as they wish (within the acceptable, recognized social and legal limits) people do not have the right to do something that unnecessarily harms other people. There are inarguable studies and facts (feel free to google) about second hand smoke...standing away from these people while they choose to smoke is not an acceptable solution. Allowing them to partake in "smokers only" establishments is not a solution either...suicide, self termination, murder is not legal...smoking in it's most basic form is self termination by choosing to do something that everyone knows causes a number of life threatening conditions.
And then there is the economic factor. Millions of tax dollars...my money and your money...is being spent every year to treat, care for, etc. an addiction that effects and kills more people than car accidents. Cars and driving can be made safe by proper training...inhaling burning tar and chemicals cannot be made safe by any measure.
Yeah, I realize that there are a lot of things that can fall into these categories..."why doesn't the govenment make a big deal about them? Why isn't other things 'attacked' as hard as smoking?" The truth of the matter is they are...but smoking is in the spotlight, by the media, by the fact that it's numbers are to high to ignore...we as a people have got to start somewhere.
And just for the record, in my youth I smoked...I used pot and some other "stuff"...I grew up and saw the light...got smart. People say pot is not as harmful as other drugs, as alcohol, etc. etc. Pot is a "gateway drug"...that's why it will likely never be legal (in the US anyway). You can slice it anyway you want but the fact of the matter is, if it alters nomal thinking / reflexes / thought processes, etc. they the user becomes a threat when they decide to do something stupid like drive a car...then it becomes my problem because I'm on the road with you.
One of the fundamental truths here is freedom...although I do believe people should have the freedom to do as they wish (within the acceptable, recognized social and legal limits) people do not have the right to do something that unnecessarily harms other people. There are inarguable studies and facts (feel free to google) about second hand smoke...standing away from these people while they choose to smoke is not an acceptable solution. Allowing them to partake in "smokers only" establishments is not a solution either...suicide, self termination, murder is not legal...smoking in it's most basic form is self termination by choosing to do something that everyone knows causes a number of life threatening conditions.
And then there is the economic factor. Millions of tax dollars...my money and your money...is being spent every year to treat, care for, etc. an addiction that effects and kills more people than car accidents. Cars and driving can be made safe by proper training...inhaling burning tar and chemicals cannot be made safe by any measure.
Yeah, I realize that there are a lot of things that can fall into these categories..."why doesn't the govenment make a big deal about them? Why isn't other things 'attacked' as hard as smoking?" The truth of the matter is they are...but smoking is in the spotlight, by the media, by the fact that it's numbers are to high to ignore...we as a people have got to start somewhere.
And just for the record, in my youth I smoked...I used pot and some other "stuff"...I grew up and saw the light...got smart. People say pot is not as harmful as other drugs, as alcohol, etc. etc. Pot is a "gateway drug"...that's why it will likely never be legal (in the US anyway). You can slice it anyway you want but the fact of the matter is, if it alters nomal thinking / reflexes / thought processes, etc. they the user becomes a threat when they decide to do something stupid like drive a car...then it becomes my problem because I'm on the road with you.